(BALTIMORE, MD, 8/24/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced its concern over an alleged case of discrimination against a Maryland Black couple who reportedly received a housing appraisal that was unfairly low due to their race, and reiterates that any such discrimination is both improper and illegal.
The couple is suing a local real estate appraiser and an online mortgage loan provider after their home was allegedly unfairly undervalued due to their race. According to the complaint, the couple applied online to refinance the mortgage on their home in Homeland, a predominantly white Baltimore neighborhood. The appraisal company gave a valuation that was more than $75,000 below the conservative estimate given by the loan website. When the family applied for another valuation without indicating Black people lived in the home, their valuation was over a quarter of a million dollars higher.
SEE: Black couple sues after they say home valuation rises nearly $300,000 when shown by White colleague
In a statement, CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:
“There is a long history of housing discrimination targeting members of minority communities in our nation, particularly Black Americans. We condemn this apparent case of discrimination, and urge American Muslims and members of other minority communities to exercise caution when selling their homes to avoid being targeted by such discrimination.”
She said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR Trial Attorney Justin Sadowsky explained:
“Since the original Civil Rights Act in 1866, this Country has enshrined into law the right of all people to buy and sell property without being discriminated against on the basis of rights. Both Section 1982 and the Fair Housing Act protects those rights today. If Mott and Connolly’s appraisal was the result of discrimination, we expect the Courts to vindicate their rights in the strongest possible way.”
SEE: CAIR-NJ Welcomes Edison Council Member’s, Woodbridge NAACP, BLM Denunciations of Islamophobic India Parade Bulldozer
Video: CAIR-MA Supports Student Written Up for Wearing Hijab in School
CAIR-NY Denounces Attacks on Orthodox Jewish Men in Williamsburg, Welcomes Hate Crime Investigations
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational
Subscribe to CAIR’s Email List
https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters
Subscribe to CAIR’s Twitter Feed
http://twitter.com/cairnational
Subscribe to CAIR’s YouTube Channel
Follow CAIR on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/cair_national/
Donate to CAIR
https://action.cair.com/a/donate
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
END
CONTACT: CAIR Office in Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062